to plague / to bother
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to plague
To cause someone physical or emotional pain, worries, or inconvenience. Often used in connection with hunger, thirst, illness, fear, or a guilty conscience.
Seit Tagen plagen ihn starke Kopfschmerzen.
He has been plagued by severe headaches for days.
The verb 'plagen' (to plague/bother) belongs to the noun 'die Plage' (plague/nuisance). Both words describe a situation that causes suffering, effort, or major inconvenience.
Die Hitze in der Stadt ist eine Plage.
The heat in the city is a nuisance.
In this meaning, the subject of the sentence is usually an abstract feeling or a condition, e.g. hunger, worries, or pain. The person who is suffering is in the accusative.
Das schlechte Gewissen plagte ihn die ganze Nacht.
His guilty conscience plagued him all night.
In the meaning 'sich abmühen' (to struggle/to toil), the verb is always used reflexively: 'sich plagen' (to toil/struggle). It is often followed by a description of the difficult activity, introduced with 'mit' (with).
Sie plagt sich jeden Tag mit schweren Kisten bei der Arbeit.
She struggles with heavy boxes at work every day.
Whereas with emotional pain a feeling plagues a person, in this meaning it is one person who bothers another person. The context makes the difference clear.
Mein kleiner Sohn plagt mich schon den ganzen Morgen, weil er fernsehen will.
My little son has been bothering me all morning because he wants to watch TV.
to annoy
'nerven' and 'plagen' can both describe someone being burdened or bothered by something. 'nerven' is often used for people, noises, or behavior that is annoying. It usually sounds colloquial. 'plagen' is stronger or more serious and often fits worries, pain, illness, or repeated urging. If children keep asking questions, they can 'jemanden plagen' (bother someone); in everyday speech, however, you would often simply say 'nerven'. 'plagen' sounds somewhat heavier and less casual.
Seit Tagen plagen sie starke Kopfschmerzen.
They have been plagued by severe headaches for days.
Vor der Reise nervten die vielen Fragen der Familie alle im Kurs.
Before the trip, the family's many questions annoyed everyone in the course.